


Once Upon A Time...

by trenzawhor



Category: One Direction
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, One direction AU, fairytale, fairytale AU, liam payne au, little red ridinghood - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-17 22:18:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3545768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trenzawhor/pseuds/trenzawhor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, Prince Charming isn't riding a white horse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon A Time...

**Author's Note:**

> All of these works are based on classic fairytales, with some obvious liberties taken.

The wind whipped back my hood as I strode down the street, tightly clutching the satchel to my body. The freezing winter temperatures couldn’t stop me from doing my job this morning, no matter how much I’d rather be sitting at home. At least there I would be warm- not to mention much safer than out here on the streets.

I pulled the hood of my red pea coat back up again, shivering once more, though this time it wasn’t from the cold. Casting a wary look around before stepping from the curb, I crossed the street to my next stop. As a hospice nurse, I spend a large majority of my day administering medicine to all of the elderly patients in the poorer section of the city, which meant carrying large quantities of prescription medication in some of the rougher neighborhoods. I hadn’t given the trek a second thought until the police began asking around after one of the known drug lords that was responsible for a number of deaths in the area. 

They called him The Wolf. Some people said it was because the stuff he sold made you howl. Others claimed it was because his eyes, yellowed from so many years of using, shone in the darkness. 

While I loved my job and the people I helped, I couldn’t deny the fact that traveling had gotten riskier in the past few days. Before I had been mildly aware that the bag I carried made me a target; if not simply because it was there, then because people knew what was in it. Now I felt like I was carrying a neon sign around with me. But I was the only person who would still visit this area. The people here needed me; they had no other option. I was so wrapped up in the thought that I almost missed Liam’s wave.

Liam owned the carpentry shop that I passed every morning on my rounds. Over the past year, we’d gotten to be friends, if that’s what you could call my stuttered attempts at conversation. He had paused from rearranging the outdoor display, and was watching as I made my way towards him. There was something about the easy way he smiled that made my stomach flip and brain fuzz over. I waved back, after a pause that was slightly too long, and smiled, feeling the heat creep into my cheeks. 

“How are you today?” He asked, ever the gentleman. 

“Fine. And you?” Miraculously, I managed to respond.

“Wonderful.” There was that grin again. I didn’t pause today like I might have any other time. I was running a bit late, and he looked busy, so I called out a goodbye and cast one last look over my shoulder before turning the corner. 

I shook my head. One day I’d get the courage to ask him to see a movie, or at the very least get coffee. However, that day was not today, and I still had a few patients to see, the next of which was just a few blocks away. 

Her name was Esther and she reminded me so much of my own grandmother. At 85 she was still sharp as a tack, although a fall last year had landed her in the hospital with a broken leg and some other complications. She demanded to remain independent for as long as possible and had moved into an assisted living complex, but I still checked up on her every morning. She was absolutely hilarious, and forever trying to set me up with her grandson. She had started this a few months prior, after learning I was recently single, and it had become a weekly ritual. She’d try to pass his number to me, or threaten to give mine to him, some days even offering to set up the date herself. “I’ll get you to meet him one of these days.” She had promised with a wink. 

As I hurried towards the door that led to her part of the complex, I slowed. It was unusually quite for so early in the morning; there were normally more people out. Chiding myself for being paranoid, I continued on, punching in the code on the door to let myself in. 

“Esther?” I called into the little flat. Most days when I walked in she was in the kitchen, making some sort of cookie or other treat, but when I looked, the room was in its usual spotless condition. “I’m here!” I yelled again, wondering if she had a doctor’s appointment and forgot to tell me.

“In the bedroom.” The reply came from the back of the flat. Her normally robust voice seemed thin and hoarse, like she was getting a cold.

“Are you doing alright?” I walked back, finding her propped up on pillows. “You don’t sound well.” The way her eyes widened as I stepped over the threshold to her bedroom, and the small shake of her head stopped me dead. “What? What is it?” I rushed to her side, reaching for her hand. The minute I touched her, the door creaked, slowly closing with a soft click. I stood up, turning slowly. 

He looked worse than the mug shots and wanted posters made him out to be. The skin on his face looked like it was stretched too tight, creating deep hollows in his cheeks. The sallow color contrasted harshly with the black of his clothing, giving him a surreal look. The scariest thing was his eyes. They really were yellow, too large and sunk into his skull, rimmed with dark circles as if he had not slept for weeks. 

I backed up against the bed, trying to shield not only Esther, but also my movements. The company I worked for required me to carry a panic button that would alert the local police of your location and immediately dispatch officers to you. I just didn’t know how long it would take them to get there. I held the button down, dragging in a ragged breath.

“W-What do you want?” 

“The bag.” His voice was like ice and barely above a whisper, but it still made my heart hammer against my ribs. I clutched the satchel tighter to my side. If I could only hold out for a few minutes…

“Why?” I asked, trying to be a little braver.

He took a step forward, making a guttural sound. “Stupid girl. Why do you think? You’re the only one who still volunteers to come through the neighborhood.  
You’ve got quite a stash there, or so I hear.” He moved closer. 

Something like the squeal of a door knob sounded from the front of the house. The Wolf paused, listening, but when nothing happened, I assumed it was the upstairs neighbor. I had half a mind to start screaming and run, but there was no way Esther could keep up. I took a deep breath. He inched closer, eyes continuously flicking to the bag. I was debating on using the lamp on the dressing table as a baseball bat when the bedroom door burst open and The Wolf was thrown sideways. 

I didn’t stop to think about my next move. I grabbed Esther’s hand and pulled her upright, stumbling into each other as we scrambled for the door. I tried to look back to see what had taken out our assailant, but they were a tangle of limbs partially hidden by the large bed. I couldn’t make out much more than that before Esther was tugging me out towards the front door and onto the street. 

We reached the curb at the same second a squad car came to a screeching halt next to us. The officers who jumped out looked startled as we screeched and pointed inside. I’m not sure if it the combination of our hysteria or if they actually understood us, but within seconds they were sprinting inside the house. The next few minutes brought more police who disappeared inside, and an ambulance that checked us over and wrapped us in shock blankets. It took a good twenty minutes before they drug The Wolf out, handcuffed and trying to yank his arms out of their grasp. 

“Excuse me?” I approached an officer near the door. “There was someone else, someone knocked him out of the way. Did you see-“ But I stopped. 

Because walking out of the complex was Liam.

“Are you alright?” He rushed over to me, placing a hand on my cheek. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. We’re fine actually.” I assured him. “How did you know?”

He looked a little sheepish. “I have an old police radio. I know the area really well, and I knew you were here and when they called for all the available cars to head over… I took off.”

“Oh.” I grinned. “So why do you know this area?” 

We were interrupted by Esther. “Oh good! Look, I told you I’d get you to meet my grandson one of these days.”


End file.
